Sencha Uji 2008

Tea: Sencha Uji 2008 - 6426
Vendor: Lupicia USA
Source: Kyoto, Japan
Vendor Description: The first flush green tea from Soraku district of Kyoto. The exquisite aroma lingers in the mouth.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea has lots of long thin needles. There is lots of dark green color with very little stem in the mix. There is no dust to speak of, the aroma is very sweet and sencha like. From the looks of the tea it is most likely an asamushi tea.

1st Infusion Parameters: 5g, 5 oz, 185F, 1 min

1st Infusion: The tea is lightly murky with a bright yellow hue. There is a very light and crisp sweet aroma coming from this tea. The flavor is lightly grassy as if to hint at a gyokuro in flavor. The flavor is rich and clean, with just a light sense of bitterness and a light clean aftertaste.

2nd Infusion Parameters: 185F 15s

2nd Infusion: This infusion as well was lightly murky. The hue darkened though to a yellow-brown hue. There is less aroma in this infusion and the flavor is a bit lighter, but it still feels quite clean in flavor. There is just a little bit of grassiness poking out here and there in this tea.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This is a very good asamushi. Even though I ended up opening it a bit past it's prime as a shincha from last year it still exhibited a wonderful freshness and cleanliness that is characteristic of an asamushi. The flavor is very light and clean, just as an asamushi should be and it was a prime example thereof. I can't wait to see what the 2009's hold.